How does Vitamin E work?

Vitamin E is an important vitamin required for the proper function of many organs in the body. It is also an antioxidant.

Are there safety concerns?

Vitamin E is safe for most healthy people when taken by mouth or applied to the skin. Most people do not experience any side effects when taking the recommended dose each day, which is 15 mg.

If you have a condition such as heart disease or diabetes, or a history of heart attack or stroke, don't take doses of 400 IU/day or more. Some research suggests that high doses might increase the chance of death from all causes and possibly cause other serious side effects. The higher the dose, the greater the risk of serious side effects.

There is contradictory information about the effect of vitamin E on the chance of developing prostate cancer. Some research suggests that taking large amounts of a multivitamin plus a separate vitamin E supplement might actually increase the chance of developing prostate cancer in some men.